Democracy’s continuing struggles
After the end of the Cold War, experts who closely studied trends in democratization believed that democracy was destined to sweep the globe. But predictions of democratic triumph did… Read more »
Category: Analysis
Civil resistance in the Arab Spring: what went wrong?
The overriding lesson of the abortive Arab Spring is that getting rid of a dictatorial and corrupt ruler is not enough. Building democratic institutions, and restoring confidence in a flawed… Read more »
Tunisia’s democratic experiment ‘still up for grabs’?
Thousands gathered in Tunisia’s capital Thursday to mark the fifth anniversary of the uprising that inspired the Arab Spring. Tunisians thronged Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the main thoroughfare in central Tunis… Read more »
As Pink Tide recedes, U.S. should support Latin American democracy
With Latin American voters turning away from their populist leaders, many speculate that the “pink tide” that has pushed the region to the left over the last 15 years is now… Read more »
The Algerian Conundrum: Authoritarian State, Democratic Society
Algeria is facing deepening domestic uncertainty as collapsing oil revenues and tensions across the region threaten its hard-won stability. Adding to the concern are questions about the ability of the… Read more »
Turkey Divided and Conquered: How the AKP Regained Power
The landslide victory of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey’s November 1 election came as a shock to many, notes a new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center…. Read more »
The Chavismo Files
Following the recent shift in the Venezuelan National Assembly it is sensible to go back and examine the legacy Hugo Chavez and his acolytes that steered Venezuela to the edge… Read more »
How the West’s normativists misjudged Russia
The expert community both in the West and Russia is retracing the steps that Sovietologists made in the 1980s, when they turned out to be completely unprepared for the disintegration… Read more »
China’s leaders reveal their fears
Once admired by authoritarian governments elsewhere, not to mention some commentators in the West, for its canny balancing of free markets and party control, China’s style of leadership may be… Read more »
Tunisia ‘headed in wrong direction’, poll finds
At least 10 senior leaders quit Tunisia’s ruling party on Wednesday as a wave of resignations in a dispute over the role of the president’s son continued to sap… Read more »